A Column by Bro. Terry Ivy
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) A sword is made for cutting. Actually, the weapon described here is a ‘dagger’—a cutting knife used in close contact.
My Dad was a master knife sharpener. After working his knife with his unique stone and leather strap, it would shave the hair off your arm or leg. As a young boy, I remember watching him countless times sharpening his knife and those of others. It was an art form he learned from his great uncle when he was about twelve years old.
Whenever I borrowed a knife from Dad, he always said, “Be careful. It is very sharp.” And he was not kidding. I can not recall all the times I have cut myself using one of his knives. It seemed every time I touched the blade, I cut myself.
God’s Word is sharper than Dad’s knives, for they reach down to the depths of the soul and spirit of man and bring clarity to our hearts and minds. We have motives and intentions hidden to ourselves at times, and the piercing truth of the Scriptures will shed light upon them. The Lord desires that we walk in Holiness before him. We can only do this through the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit and the power of His Word.
God’s Word cuts through all the ‘fluff and stuff’ of secular philosophy, and it directs our hearts to the only safe harbor that exists for the soul of man. The Lord leads us through the maze of lies and fake ideas that swirl around us and brings us to the unshakeable foundation of eternal truth. His Word cuts us as it exposes the areas of our thoughts and intentions that need to be re-shaped by grace.
The writer of Hebrews said that this dagger has ‘two edges.’ When we bow our hearts to Lord, he cuts through the trash living in us and inside our relationships with others. Only the truth and principles of God’s Word can keep drama out of our relationships. The sure foundation of Scriptures gives us a platform to build healthy, honest, and trustworthy relationships.
Most relationships fail because one or both of those involved refuse to look below the surface of their lives and address the baggage of unforgiveness, bitterness, and control. The Lord can free us from the greatest threat to our spiritual health—our selfish ways! However, there is no shortcut to finding freedom. We must submit our ways to God’s ways, our thoughts to His thoughts, and our desires to His desires.
Every time I sharpen my knife with Dad’s old whetstone and strap, I think of two things. First, I remember his warning about the sharpness of his knife. Second, I think about how God’s Word is… A Sharp Sword!
